evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwāt 

-kyü-ˌāt

evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1

: to remove the contents of : empty

2

: to discharge from the body as waste : void

3

: to remove something (such as gas or water) from especially by pumping

4

a

: to remove especially from a military zone or dangerous area

b

: to withdraw from military occupation of

c

: vacate sense 1

were ordered to evacuate the building

intransitive verb

1

: to withdraw from a place in an organized way especially for protection

2

: to pass urine or feces from the body

evacuative

i-ˈva-kyə-ˌwā-tiv 

-kyü-ˌā-

adjective

Synonyms of evacuate

• empty
• vacate
• clear
• clean

Examples of evacuate in a Sentence

People who live along the coast are being evacuated as the hurricane approaches.

During World War II, children were evacuated from London to the country.

Residents were ordered to evacuate the building.

Residents have been ordered to evacuate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Several hundred buildings have already been destroyed, and approximately one quarter of the city’s population has recently been ordered to evacuate. — Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2026

Those who have been evacuated are seeking refuge at the Spokane Convention Center, at a Red Cross shelter. — Kirk Siegler, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026

Perhaps the clearest example of lessons learned from the Los Angeles fires was the haste with which local law enforcement worked to evacuate residents, Clemo said. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026

As firefighters quickly evacuated a northbound passenger train that entered the station during the incident, others worked to extinguish the fire within the vacuum train’s filter compartment. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to draw off morbid humors, from Latin evacuatus, past participle of evacuare to empty, from e- + vacuus empty

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for evacuate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt 

evacuated; evacuating

1

: to make empty

2

: to discharge waste matter from the body

3

: to remove something (as a gas) from especially by pumping

4

a

: to remove troops or people from a place of danger

b

: vacate

evacuate the building

evacuation

-ˌvak-yə-ˈwā-shən

noun

Medical Definition

evacuate

verb

evac·​u·​ate i-ˈvak-yə-ˌwāt 

evacuated; evacuating

transitive verb

1

: to remove the contents of

evacuate an abscess

2

: to discharge (as urine or feces) from the body as waste : void

intransitive verb

: to pass urine or feces from the body

evacuative

-ˌwāt-iv 

adjective